Method and apparatus for securing a lacing strip to the end of a belt



Aprll 15, F. E. MCCOMB METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING A LACING STRIP TO THE END OF A BELT Sheet of 2 Filed July 20, 1967 INVENTOIZ FRANK :7 Ma (0M5 BY Mm, juadim, 741M AT'TOIZ N E Y5 A ril 15, 1969 F. E. M coMB 3,433,095

METHOD AND AI PARATUS FOR SECURING A LACING STRIP TO THE END OF A BELT 2 Filed July 20, 1967 Sheet of 2 INVENTOQ fA/vz [/Vc (0M5 BY MM, 226/61 61, 7W1, Em

ATTOQNEYE United States Patent 0 3,438,096 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING A LACING STRIP TO THE END OF A BELT Frank E. McComb, River Forest, 11]., assignor to Flexible Steel Lacing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 20, 1967, Ser. No. 654,931 Int. Cl. F16g 3/02 US. Cl. 24--33 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Method and apparatus for securing a lacing strip to the end of a belt in which a gauge pin is attached to the lacing strip, as by means of resilient clips, while the lacing strip is being secured to the belt end to ensure a predetermined relationship between the belt end and the lacing strip.

The present invention relates to flat transmission belts and to conveyor belts. More particularly, the invention relates to the hinged interconnection of adjacent belt ends.

In the construction of non-endless belts, e.g., fiat transmission belts and conveyor belts, it is conventional to interconnect adjacent belt ends for hinged movement about an axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the belt. A common method of interconnection involves the use of elongated lacing strips such as are shown, for example, in US. Letters Patent No. 1,755,304. Each such strip may consist of an integral metallic member formed to provide two diverging rows of jaws, with the jaws of each row being joined to the jaws of the other row by loops. Each jaw is provided with at least one tooth adjacent its outer end, i.e., adjacent that end opposite the loop. The loops are spaced from each other along the strip so as to enable the strips of adjacent belt ends to be intermeshed by placing a loop of a second strip between two side-by-side loops of a first strip.

The lacing strip is attached to the belt by positioning it adjacent the end and, by means of a hammer or similar tool, driving the teeth into the belt. This operation deforms the strip and places the jaws in parallel overlying relationship to opposite faces of the belt. In positioning the lacing strip relative to the belt, the loops are spaced from the belt end a suflicient distance so that when the second lacing strip is placed in intermeshing relationship to the first, a socket or knuckle is formed which is capable of receiving a hinge pin eifective to couple together the two adjacent lacing strips while permitting hinged movement of the strips and belt sections relative to each other.

In the securing of a lacing strip to a belt end, the accurate spacing of the loops from the belt end to provide sufiicient clearance to accommodate the hinge pin has been facilitated through the use of a gauge pin placed within the loops of the lacing strip and manually maintained therein while the lacing strip is being attached to the belt. The gauge pin is not removed until the lacing strip is completely attached. However, with relatively wide belts, e.g., belts two feet or more in width, it is difiicult to maintain the gauge pin and the lacing strip in the proper relationship to each other. For example, the gauge pin may slip into overlying relationship to the face of the belt instead of being positioned adjacent the end of the belt. It is relatively difiicult for a single individual to hold the lacing strip and gauge pin relative to one another and to the belt and, at the same time, force the teeth of the lacing strip into the belt by means of a hammer.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a method and device for maintaining a desired relationship between the gauge pin and the lacing strip Ice of a coupling for non-endless belts while the lacing strip is being attached to the belt.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing various of the features of the invention, a lacing strip and gauge pin being shown before the lacing strip is attached to the belt;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the lacing strip and gauge pin of FIGURE 1 but with the lacing strip attached to the belt;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view similar to that of FIGURE 2 but showing an alternate embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view similar to that of FIGURES 2 and 4 but showing still another embodiment of the invention: and

FIGURES 6 and 7 are enlarged views of devices shown in FIGURES 1-5.

Very generally, there is illustrated in the drawing a portion of a belt 12 having longitudinal edges 14, and having a transverse end edge 16, hereinafter referred to as the belt end, adjacent to which a lacing strip 18 is to be attached (FIG. 1). To facilitate positioning of the lacing strip relative to the transverse belt end 16, a gauge pin 20 is provided. The gauge pin 20 is releasably secured to the lacing strip 18 during the attaching of the lacing strip to the belt by retaining clips 22 in the manner hereinafter described.

More particularly, the belt 12 is of a conventional type and may take a wariety of forms depending upon the intended use of the belt. In one application, for example, which is mentioned herein by way of illustration and not limitation, the belt is in the form of a nylon reinforced rubber sheet of significant length and having a width which is narrow compared to the length. The belt is intended to provide a continuous loop and to pass around pulleys or drums located at its opposite ends when the belt is in use. Hence, adjacent transverse ends 16 of the belt are coupled to each other for hinged movement relative to each other.

Coupling of the transverse belt ends 16 in adjacent relation to each other is accomplished by means of the lacing strips 18, each of which includes a pair of diverging rows of jaws 24 joined together by loops 26. Each jaw is provided with a relatively large inwardly directed tooth 28 at its outer end and a smaller inwardly directed tooth 30 located along one of its lateral edges. In attaching the lacing strip to the belt, the teeth are driven into the belt, as by hammering, moving the jaws 24 from a diverging to a parallel relationship, the latter position being shown in phantom in FIGURE 3.

In joining a lacing strip 18 to a belt section, the gauge pin 20 is used to maintain a spaced relationship between the inner surfaces of the loops 26 of the strip 18 and the transverse end 16 of the belt. The gauge pin is of a suflicient size to insure that when a pair of belt ends 16, each of which is provided with a lacing strip 18, are placed in adjacent relation to each other with the loops of the lacing strips intermeshed, a socket or knuckle will be defined by the lacing strips of sufficient size to accommodate a hinge pin (not shown). A handle 32 is provided at one end of the gauge pin to facilitate its withdrawal from adjacent the belt end 16 and the lacing strip 18 after the lacing strip is attached to the belt. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the handle 32 is in the form of an elongated member of U-shaped transverse cross section having a centrally located circular opening to receive the gauge pin. The gauge pin 20 is flattened at one end, as at 34, to preclude its withdrawal from the opening in one direction.

It will be appreciated that in order to obtain the proper spaced relationship between the lacing strip 18 and the belt end 16 through the use of the gauge pin 20, the gauge pin and the lacing strip should likewise be maintained in a given relation to each other during the process of attaching the lacing strip to the belt. With a relatively wide belt as, for example, a belt which is two feet or more in width, it is difficult to manually maintain this relationship while at the same time hammering the teeth of the lacing strip into the belt. This difliculty may be due to one or more factors, including the fact that the belt is relatively heavy and diflicult to handle, that the belt may be slightly bowed when viewed in transverse cross section, and that the pounding of the lacing strip with a hammer to drive the teeth of the lacing strip into the belt may serve to displace the lacing strip relative to the belt before the lacing strip has become relatively firmly attached.

Accordingly, to facilitate the location of the gauge pin 20 relative to the lacing strip 18, the retaining clips 22 are provided. Preferably, at least three clips are used for each lacing strip. Each clip is adapted to be detachably secured to the lacing strip as, for example, adjacent an end or the center thereof, and to define with the lacing strip a closefitting socket for the gauge pin. Various forms of clip are contemplated and within the scope of the present invention, the precise form used being in large part dependent upon the size of the lacing strip employed.

In the drawings, two different forms of clips and the relationship of each to a certain form of lacing strip are illustrated. More particularly, in the embodiment shown in FIGURES 13 and 6, each clip 22 is formed from a strip of resilient sheet metal bent upon itself into a U- shape to provide a pair of parallel co-extensive plates joined together at one end. The outer ends of each plate of each clip are turned inwardly toward the opposite plate to provide a cradle which will partially encircle the gauge pin when the pin and clip are properly located relative to the lacing strip and prevent the gauge pin from slipping outwardly from between the plates in a direction away from the ends at which they are interconnected. The plates are spaced from one another a distance preferably slightly less than the diameter of the gauge pin to be used so that the inner surfaces of the plates will grip the pin. In addition, each plate is provided with a slot 36 which extends inwardly from the curved outer edge of the plate 'to divide the plate into a pair of resilient legs 38. Thus, each clip includes two plates and four legs. In the illustrated embodiment, each slot terminates at its inner end in a circular opening 39.

The clip 22 is attached to a lacing strip by virtue of a frictional resilient fit between the clip and one or more loops of the lacing strip. For example, as seen most clearly in FIGURE 6, both legs 38 of each plate of the clip 22 are adapted to fit between adjacent loops 26 of a lacing strip 18. As illustrated, each of the legs 38 includes an outer edge 40 which tapers outwardly from the outer end of the leg to a point intermediate the ends indicated at 42 in the drawing. The edge then tapers inwardly from the point 42 to a shoulder 44 which projects outwardly from the edge 40 in generally perpendicular relation to the longitudinal axis of the leg at the inner end thereof.

The width of the clip at the point 42, i.e., the distance between the points 42 on opposite legs 38 of one plate, i slightly greater than the width of the gap between two adjacent loops 26, so that the legs of the clip are moved together slightly when the clip is inserted into the gap between the loops. This movement is made possible by the provision of the slot 36 in the plates and by the resiliency of the legs. There is therefore a frictional fit bet-Ween the clip and the lacing in the sense that there is a frictional engagement between the clip and lacing at the points 42 when the clip is inserted into a gap between the loops 26. There is also a resilient fit between the clipand lacing in the sense that the legs 38 are forced together slightly during the insertion of the clip and return to their normal position when the clip is fully inserted to maintain the clip on the lacing.

The edge 40 of each leg of each plate tapers outwardly from the outer end of the leg 38 to the point 42 so that, at the outer ends of the legs 38, the clip is narrower than the gap between the loops 26. This feature facilitates the initial entry of the clip into the gap. The edge also tapers inwardly from the point 42 to adjacent the shoulder 44, so that the clip is narrower than the gap between the loops 26 immediately adjacent the shoulder 44. This feature permits some movement between the clip and lacing when the clip is fully inserted. The shoulder 44 determines the extent of movement of the clip into a gap between loops when it engages an outer surface of one of the loops.

A second form of clip 22a is shown enlarged in FIG- URE 7 and can be arranged to straddle a single loop 26 of a lacing strip 18, as shown in FIGURE 4, can be arranged to straddle a pair of loops of a lacing strip as shown in FIGURE 5, and can be positione between a pair of adajcent loops as shown in FIGURES l and 2.

More particularly, the clip 22a includes a pair of plates, each of which is divided into a pair of legs 38a. The legs are curved inwardly at their ends to define a cradle for a gauge pin 20 as previously explained with respect to the clip 22. The outer edge 46 of the outer end portion of each leg 38a tapers outwardly from the outer end of the leg to a point 48 and then inwardly to a shoulder 50. The distance between the points 50 of the adjacent legs of one plate is slightly greater than the distance between adjacent loops 26 of a lacing strip, so that the legs move together slightly when the clip is inserted into the gap between adjacent loops. The taper of the outer edge 46 adjacent the outer end of the leg facilitates initial placing of the clip between adjacent loops while the inward taper of the edge toward the shoulder 50 creates a non-binding relationship between the clip and loops permitting some relative movement therebetween. The shoulder 50 limits movement of the clip into the gap bet-ween loops.

The inner edge 52 of the forward portion of each leg tapers outwardly to a point 54 and then inwardly to a shoulder 56. The distance between the points 54 of adjacent legs is slightly less than the width of a single loop when the clip is used as in FIGURE 4, or less than the distance between the outermost edges of a pair of loops 26 when the clip is used as in FIGURE 5. In either case, the legs are spread slightly in placing the clip on the loops. The taper of the edge near the end of the leg facilitates the initial placing of the clip on the loops, while the taper of the edge toward the shoulder creates a non-binding relationship between the clip and loops permitting some relative movement therebetween. The shoulder 56, of course, limits movement of the clip onto the loops.

In the use of the clip 22a, the outer edges 46 are utilized when the clip is placed between and engages loOpS which flank it on opposite sides; the edges 52 are utilized when the clip straddle one or more loops. The clip is therefore versatile in that it can be used with lacing strips of different sizes.

In practice, it has been found convenient to vary the form of clip depending upon the size of the lacing used. Thus, where the lacing consists of narrow closely spaced loops, the form of clip shown in FIGURE 7 is preferred, whereas where the lacing consists of wide loops spaced a significant distance from each other, a clip in the form shown in either FIGURE 7 or FIGURE 8 may be used. The dimensions of the clip will vary depending upon the size of the lacing strip. Thus, the width of the legs, the spacing between the points of engagement, e.g., points 42, 48 and 54, and the location of the shoulders relative to the ends of the legs, will vary with the dimensions of the lacing strip with which the clip is used.

In using the clips 22 and 22a, it is preferable to mount a clip on a lacing strip adjacent each end of the strip and a third clip in the center. The gauge pin is then inserted into the socket defined by the lacing strip and the clips, the resiliency of the clips serving to enable the clips to grip the gauge pin and the inwardly bent ends of the clip serving to contain the pin. The lacing strip is then placed adjacent the belt end 16 with the gauge pin in contact with the end along its length. The teeth 28 and 30 are driven into the belt and, when the attachment is complete, the gauge pin is removed.

While the invention has been shown and described with respect to several specific embodiments, it should be clear that various modifications may be made in the method and constructions disclosed without departing from the scope of the invention.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of attaching a metal lacing strip to the end of a belt so as to permit the coupling of the end to an adjacent laced belt end by means of a hinge pin, which method comprises attaching a gauge pin to the lacing strip in the same position relative to the lacing strip as is occupied by the hinge pin when the lacing strip forms part of a coupling, placing the lacing strip adjacent that end of the belt to which it is to be attached with the gauge pin in contacting parallel relation to the belt end along is length, and securing the lacing strip to the belt adjacent the end while maintaining the gauge pin in parallel contacting relation to the end.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said gauge pin is attached to the lacing strip by removable clips.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein a clip is releasably attached to the lacing strip adjacent each end thereof, wherein each of said clips defines with the lacing strip a knuckle for receiving the gauge pin, and wherein the clips are attached to the lacing strip before the hinge pin is inserted into the knuckles.

4. A clip for attaching a gauge pin to a lacing strip,

said lacing strip including a plurality of spaced teeth interconnected by loops and adapted to be attached to one end'of a belt and to cooperate with a similar lacing strip secured to an adjacent belt to join the ends to each other, said clip comprising a U-shaped member formed of a resilient material and providing a pair of generally parallel co-extensive plates, said plates having their outer free ends bent inwardly so as to provide a cradle for a gauge pin, and means on each clip efiective to position the inwardly bent ends of each clip relative to the loops of the lacing strip.

5. A clip in accordance with claim 4, wherein each of said plates is provided with a slot extending from its opposite end toward its one end to provide a pair of resilient legs.

6. A clip in accordance with claim 5, wherein cooperating edges of the legs of each plate are spaced from each other a distance effective to provide a resilient frictional fit between said legs of said clip and at least one loop of said lacing strip over at least a portion of the length of said legs.

7. A clip in accordance with claim 6, wherein a cooperating edge of each leg is tapered adjacent its outer end to facilitate placing of said clip onto a loop of said lacing.

8. A clip in accordance with claim 6, wherein the frictional fit portion of each cooperating edge is located intermediate the one end of said edge and the opposite end of said edge.

9. A clip in accordance with claim 5, wherein each leg is provided with a shoulder adapted to engage a loop of the lacing strip to position the clip relative to the lacing strip.

10. A clip in accordance with claim 4, wherein said plates are spaced from each other a distance slightly less than the thickness of the gauge pin so that the plates will grip the gauge pin when the pin is placed between them.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,887,361 11/1932 Olsen 24-63 DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner. 

